illinois democratic senator dick durbin spoke today at the liberal center for american progress where he said this about the possibility of going off the cliff which fears of this show know is is really more of a curb than a cliff. >> some have called let's go over the cliff and watch what happens. we know if we're not careful, it will in fact stop economic growth and hurt everyone through every income category, particularly those most vulnerable. >> what he did not say is he must not go off the cliff. because the cliff is president obama's and the congressional democrats leverage over republicans. if we do go off the cliff or the curb on january 1st, a republican nightmare will occur. all income tax rates will go up and defense spending will be cut by 600 billion. other spending, some of it dear to republicans, will also be cut by another 600 billion. the fiscal cliff is much scarier to republicans than it is to democrats. so, the president and his allies must continue to make republicans believe they are willing to go off cliff. senator durbin simply said if we do go off the cliff o